Jefferson County Attorney Mike O'Connell said recordings made at the Jefferson County Jail show that Judge Donald Armstrong Jr., at left, ordered defendants released on their own recognizance.

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Jefferson County Attorney Mike O'Connell is involved in another skirmish with the district court, accusing a judge of summarily "cutting loose" two accused drug traffickers a few hours after another judge had set cash bonds for them.

O'Connell said recordings made at the Jefferson County Jail show that Judge Donald Armstrong Jr. ordered the defendants released on their own recognizance, possibly after a man identified only as "Dre" called Armstrong on their behalf.

"Public safety is jeopardized when defendants can be summarily released back into the community at the request of unknown ...